Conservative Party Nomination?

With a decision on the Conservative Party nomination for mayor expected in less than a week, Nicole Malliotakis’ prospects appear increasingly strong. Last night the Queens County Conservative Party informally lined up behind Malliotakis after hosting her for a screening interview, according to Queens County Chairman Tom Long. A formal vote by the Queens County Committee is not expected until May 18th, however. (Our report from the recent Queens County Conservative Dinner is available here.)

The Brooklyn Conservative Party has already endorsed Malliotakis. Manhattan Conservative Party Chairman Stuart Avrick said today that he has not yet met Malliotakis and therefor has not yet settled on a candidate. (Stay tuned for more on Staten Island and the Bronx.)

With Michel Faulkner moving from the mayor’s race to the comptroller’s race, the Conservatives appear to be seriously considering only Malliotakis and Paul Massey, and not Bo Dietl or any other candidates. While many Conservative Party members admire Massey’s business success, they have profound ideological differences with him on social issues. Malliotakis is far more in sync on those issues and is well known within the party. Malliotakis has repeatedly run on the Conservative line in her Assembly races and, I’m told, has regularly attended Conservative Party events during her six years in the Assembly. (She did not attend the Queens County Conservative Party dinner, however.)

The five Conservative Party county chairs are scheduled to meet Wednesday to discuss and, they hope, determine the Party’s mayoral nominee.